Michael Douglas to play Liberace in HBO movie

HBO announced today that Michael Douglas and Matt Damon will star in Behind the Candelabra, a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between Liberace and his younger live-in lover, Scott Thorson. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) from a script by Richard LaGravenese (Water for Elephants), the film will feature Douglas as Liberace and Damon as Thorson.

Jerry Weintraub (Oceans 11 franchise) will executive produce. “I’ve wanted to make a film about Liberace for a very long time, and after the amazing experience I had with HBO on His Way, I knew that they were absolutely the right place for this movie,” Weintraub said in a statement. ”I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson. Putting these two fine actors in the creative hands of Steven Soderbergh – it doesn’t get any better than that!”

The movie will start production in the summer of 2012, with locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs.